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Classical music stops dogs barking, research shows

14 September 2012, 10:43

Classical music helps dogs spend more time sleeping and less time barking when they're housed in kennels or temporary accommodation, new research claims.

A new study has shown how dogs react to different kinds of music when they're in kennels. It concluded that playing classical music to dogs significantly pacified them: "playing classical music might help ameliorate some of these negative aspects."

Carried out by the Colorado State University, the study also exposed dogs to heavy metal music which reportedly resulted in increased nervousness. The study used a mixture of rescue dogs and boarding dogs.

The dogs spent the longest amount of time silent while listening to classical music, in particular Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Lori Kogan from the university wrote in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour that classical music could potentially be a "cost-efficient, practical way to enhance the environment and, therefore, the welfare of shelter dogs."